


Tumblr Promts

by chancecraz



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-25 21:46:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14986271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chancecraz/pseuds/chancecraz
Summary: Bits and Bobs in the Star Wars Universe





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So when I'm stuck writing Queens, Middle Game, or Shifting Sands, I turn to Tumblr and ask for prompts to get the mind working again. Also, I am the middle age lady of the internet, and thought having them hosted somewhere else besides Tumblr was probably a good idea, given the history of fandom and social media sites. Here's a collection of them if you want to read them, but the multi-chapter ones get there own pages. 
> 
> First one is from thisisathought, who asked I wish you would write me a fic where Vader does see Padme's face when he's torturing Leia! :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

This child had unexpected depths, Vader thought, as again he sliced into her mind, looking for the Rebel base. In other circumstances he would marvel at the novelty of it, so few people took him by surprise anymore. But here and now, it was just another annoyance in a string of them concerning this project.

The Princess let out another scream of pain, and Vader’s teeth clenched in agony as it vibrated along his own senses. She was strong, so much stronger then he had been expecting, and it was difficult for him to block out her reactions.  He pushed again, ignoring both of their agonies, as he felt her desperately shift under that strong wall. He was so close to the base, she was frantic under all that pain, if he just pushed a little bit harder…

An image slipped out. There was a feeling of self-castigation from the Princess. Vader turned to glance at and caught the image of a woman. It only took him a moment to determine that this had nothing to do with the Rebel base. Why go to such lengths to protect this? Who was the woman to the princess?

Vader dug a little deeper and the answer was vibrating along with the image. Her birth mother. This was an image of her birth mother, who was long dead. Vader paused for a moment in his astonishment. This is what her Highness had deemed more important than her Father’s activities in the Rebel Alliance. _This?_ A woman long dead?

He thought to taunt her with this. To show her that her efforts were futile, even in an attempt to protect someone who was long beyond Vader’s reach. To show her there was no fighting him on this. That he would learn the location of the Rebels’ secret base.

Then, unexpectedly, the Force whispered, “ _Look, look, look.”_ He almost missed it, he was so caught up in his own surprise at her Highness’s useless sentimentality and his annoyance of how long this was all taking, but he did heed the words.

He turned to study the image. It was of a woman, laying out on some sort of medical bed. She was a brunette, and in a great deal of pain, but looked at her Highness with such love as she whispered in an exhausted voice “ _Leia._ ”

The woman was Padme.

Vader’s mind stopped. He stared at his wife, frozen in that image as she called out her Highness’s name. This was impossible. This was a trick of some kind. His wife was dead, she had been dead long before this princess could have possibly remembered her.

Forgetting caution in his rage, he bellowed deep into her this pampered Princesses’ mind _“HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT FACE!?!”_

Her Highness only curled around herself, giving him nothing in reply. Furious, he threw himself at the wall in her mind, heedless of the damage he could do to her. Heedless that he needed her sane. Heedless of everything but that taunting image of that most beloved face.

“ _HOW!?!_ ” he demanded.

The Princess’s wall held. Oh, it wobbled, but after absorbing his blow, the walls tightened in response. He gathered himself again, infuriated by her defiance. He was beyond reason, beyond thought, all he knew was he needed to know _how_ he was attacked with that most loved face.

Before he could strike, the Princess gathered herself, and bellowed “ _SHE IS MINE! NOT YOURS!”_

Vader’s mind almost shattered under the full emotions she was broadcasting at him. For a second he was lost in the whirlwind of her rage and possessiveness, backed by a protective streak to rival his own in regards to his wife and the memory of her.

Shaken, that had _hurt,_ he demanded “ _Yours?_ ”

 _“MINE!”_ The Princess snarled back _“My mother!”_

Her mother….her _mother_ ??? Vader stopped, just stopped. The Force swirled around him and this Alderaanian princess, quietly humming along in his mind with a joyful “ _Yes, yes, yes._ ”

This was the truth. Padme was this Princess’s mother. And if Padme was her mother, that would make Vader her…

 _“MY FATHER!?!”_ Leia’s voice slashed into him, echoing horror and disgust.

Vader snapped himself out of her mind. She was sitting on the bench, pale and exhausted, her eyes unfocused from the drugs. Even in that state, there was no missing the contempt and hatred in his child’s eyes.

Vader just stared at Leia, his mind whirling uselessly as he tried to understand what he had just learned. His child was alive? His child was here?

His child who he just _tortured_? At the behest of Tarkin and his Master? A child he could have protected if not for Organa’s lies?

Vader was aware of something like a snap occurring in his mind. He was too lost in the haze of the Dark Side to pay it much mind. Turning from the fear in those brown eyes, eyes that now that he was paying attention looked remarkably like his mother’s, he left the cell. It was time to deal with all who had brought this about.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one is for tygermama, who asked: For the I wish you'd write meme - a hyperdrive accident propels Anakin and the entire 501st into the future before Scarif. The Chancellor is now the Emperor, now one knows where Obi-Wan or Padme are and the only person who seems happy to see them is Hondo
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“General,” Yularen said, “Lothal is hailing us.”

Anakin frowned. Something was wrong. Besides the hyperspace drive malfunctioning for no discernable reason, leaving them stranded above  _ Lothal  _ of all places. And that was wrong too. At some point, the people here had acquired a defensive shield which covered the entire capital city. When had Lothal gotten that?  _ Why _ had Lothal gotten that?  It was on the Outer Rim sure, but it was nowhere near contested space with the Separatists.  And when a Republic cruiser had entered the system, why had they immediately brought it up?

And then there was the Force. It felt….dark. Muddled, angry and seething, and ready to tear anything apart. If he had to put a physical scenario to it, the Force was reacting to him like a Bantha that had been whipped too hard by its rider. 

Anakin wandered over from the front of the bridge, where he had been staring down at the planet, wishing Obi-Wan was here. He was always better at soothing the local’s fears than Anakin.  Or at least Ahsoka or Rex to be here. Anakin was on the  _ Resolute _ and was supposed to be meeting up with them on the  _ Negotiator _ . He didn’t like being separated from this many of his people, it made him itchy.

“Sir?” Yularen asked. “They insist on speaking to ‘whoever is in charge.’“

Anakin sighed and came over to the main comm table. If Yularen’s name wasn’t enough to get the locals to calm down, his probably would.  He looked at the Admiral.

“Who am I talking to?” he asked.

“A General Syndulla,” Yularen said with a straight face.

“Cham?” Anakin sputtered “Cham Syndulla? When did he promote himself to General? And what is he doing off of Ryloth?”

Behind him, Fives stifled a laugh and Anakin could hear the thump as Echo hit him on the shoulder to get him to be quiet. Yularen just shook his head.

“It’s not Cham. The voice belongs to a woman, General Skywalker,” he said.

Anakin frowned. “There is no General Syndulla. Either in the Republic or the Separatists.”

Yularen’s eyes were equally troubled “I know Sir.”

Anakin looked at the comm, “No holo?” he asked.

Yularen shook his head “Voice only.”

“Paranoid,” Echo muttered. “Wonder why?”

Anakin leaned forward. “General Syndulla, this is General Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight. I understand you wanted to speak to me?”

There was a long pause on the other end, then a low feminine voice sputtered “Excuse me, you are  _ who _ ?”

Anakin blinked “General Anakin Skywalker,” he repeated.

There was a long silence, then a clone’s voice came over the comm, spitting out each word furiously “I don’t know how or why you are using a voice modifier to impersonate General Skywalker, but you picked the absolute  _ worst _ planet to try that on.”

Anakin almost reared back. All the clones sounded alike, but each one had their own cadence, and feel. And he had spent a long time with this clone by his side “Rex?” he asked.

There was another long silence. Anakin leaned forward “Rex what are you doing on Lothal? You are supposed to be on the  _ Negotiator _ with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. We were on our way to the rendezvous point before our hyperspace drive went crazy. It dumped us out here and it’s fried, along with our long-range coms. We were hoping to ask for supplies from the locals so we could repair both.”

Rex’s voice was cautious “Where were you suppose to be going after the rendezvous point?”

Anakin’s eyebrows went up. “Geonosis?” he asked. Concerned he leaned forward “Rex, what is going on? Where is Obi-Wan and Ahsoka? Why aren’t they there with you?”

Rex made a pained noise at those names. Anakin’s worry only increased “Rex are you okay?” he asked.

There was a semi-hysterical laugh on the other end “No General, I don’t think I am.” There was a deep breath and his throat cleared, “Whose at the comm center with you?”

Anakin frowned, “ Yularen, Fives, and Echo.”

There was a choked sound of disbelief. “Fives and Echo?” Rex asked.

“Yes Sir,” both Fives and Echo said.

“I-” Rex’s voice trailed off. Anakin could hear other voices in the background, but their words were indistinct as they talked to Rex. “Give me a minute,” he said, then the comm cut off.

Anakin looked at Yularen “Thoughts?”

Yularen only shook his head, “I have no idea, General.”

Anakin cursed this whole situation. But they couldn’t call anyone else in the Navy, and they only had sublight engines. Not that there was any system that could help them within easy traveling  distance.

Rex’s voice came back over the comm “Permission to come aboard General?”

Anakin’s hands fell behind his back, the feeling of uneasiness growing. “Just you?” he asked.

Rex cleared his throat “Me and one other. We need to confirm your identity face to face.”

Fives piped up “Why not just turn on the holo Sir?”

“I can’t - you wouldn’t” Rex broke off, “Trust me when I tell you that this will all be easier to explain if I was  _ physically _ there.”

Anakin weighed his options. “And your guest?” he asked.

Rex’s voice was slightly bitter “It’s been suggested I’m a bit emotionally compromised. He’s met you before so he can independently confirm your identity.”

“That’s all?” Anakin asked.

“I give you my word sir, that’s all he’s coming along for.”

Anakin looked at Yularen, who gave a shake of his head. But he didn’t see any other choice. They couldn’t call for help, and they couldn’t leave. Besides Rex had given his word, and he trusted Rex implicitly.

“Alright,” Anakin said. We’ll meet in hangar bay three.”

“Be there soon,” and Rex’s comm cut off.

 

The ship that landed in the shuttle wasn’t a Republic vessel of any sort. It was Sheathipede-class transport shuttle, and it had  _ definitely _ seen better days. Anakin watched as it landed with a soft thud, and then the gangplank descended. But it wasn’t Rex who came out of the ship, it was an old man, dressed in green battle fatigues, with no hair, and a full white beard.

Anakin stiffened momentarily, this was not who he expected to greet him. He shook himself, and he walked up to the man, Echo, and Fives right behind him. He trusted Rex, he reminded himself. This must be the second passenger, the one who was here to confirm his identity, although Anakin didn’t recognize him.

As he came to a stop in front of him, the man didn’t say anything, just looked him up and down. As those golden eyes came back to Anakin’s face, tears filled them. “It’s good to see you General,” he said in a voice as familiar to Anakin as his own.

Anakin’s mouth dropped open “Rex?” he whispered.

The man nodded. “Yes, sir. I told you this would be easier to explain in person.” His eyes flicked to Anakin’s two companions, and he gave a wide smile, even though his voice was full of grief. “Fives. Echo. You have no idea how good it is to see a familiar face.”

“Sir?” Echo whispered.

Anakin went up to Rex, and grabbed him by the shoulders “What happened to you?” he demanded “Is this some sort of new weapon the Separatists are using? Some genetic malfunction?”

“No General,” Rex’s hands came up to grab Anakin’s wrists “I just got old.”

“Got old?” Anakin whispered.

Rex nodded. “It’s been twenty years General. Twenty years since the second battle of Geonosis.”

“I-” Anakin’s mind whirled “That,” he started to say.

Rex’s hands tightened on his wrists. “I know this is confusing for you. I do. But I feel I need to warn you about-”

“SKYWALKER!!!” a jovial voice cried out, and Anakin heard the sounds of footsteps quickly running down the gangplank. Before he could even look to see who it was, a pair of arms embraced him, breaking his hold on Rex. They gripped him tightly, and Anakin felt himself being lifted off his feet in that strong embrace.

“Oh, my friend! I knew it was you!” that voice yelled in his ear, “I told her! I told Hera that it was you! That the Jedi have their ways, I said to her. And that you, of all people, would show up like this!”

Oh no, no, no, no, no, no. Not him, oh please by the Force, anyone but him.

“Hondo put me down!” Anakin commanded.

The arms around him squeezed him one more time before they lowered him back down to the ground. Anakin looked into that brown face, with its wide grin.

“You?” Anakin asked, “ _ You _ are who they sent to confirm Rex’s assessment that I’m really me?”

“But of course!” Hondo said, arms going up in glee. “I am a very important person on Lothal, I’ll have you know! I was  _ crucial  _ in their liberation from the Empire.”

“Empire?” Fives said confused “What Empire?”

The Weequay’s grin fell away. “Oh, my friend,” he said sadly, looking at Anakin directly in the eyes “The Galaxy has been much changed from what you remember.”

Rex cleared his throat, and Hondo moved to the side so Anakin could see his commander clearly. “Sorry to say he’s right,” Rex said “And his presence here isn’t the worst thing I have to tell you. By far.” He shot a look at Fives and Echo, “But first things first sir, I need you to come into the Phantom II, alone.”

Anakin felt his heart sink “Why?”

Rex walked up to Anakin, and leaned forward, so he could whisper directly into his ear. “Because every one of my brothers on this ship as a control chip implanted in their heads. And until we remove them all, one word from the Emperor, and they will all try to kill you.” He leaned back so he was staring into Anakin’s eyes.

“Is this a joke?” Anakin demanded, voice going high.

Rex shook his head “No sir. I saw it happen myself. On Mandalore.”

“Mandalore?” Anakin’s brain tried to keep up “What were you doing on Mand-” then his voice stopped. Rex had a protective streak a mile wide. In any battle, he tended to stick to Anakin’s side, or…“Ahsoka?” he whispered, terrified of the answer.

Rex bit his lip “She survived then,” he said in a sad voice.

_ Then? _   What about  _ now? _ And what about Obi-Wan? And where, in all of this, had Padme been? Where was she now?

“Please sir,” Rex said imploringly, his eyes falling to his fellow clones again, desperation and fear intertwined on his face. “I need you to come into the ship so we can talk.”

Numbly Anakin followed him up the ramp, Hondo staying behind to “entertain” Fives and Echo. With each step, he desperately reached out to the Force, trying to see if this was some dream or hallucination. Reality, his reality, stubbornly refused to appear. As he sat down on a cargo crate in the shuttle’s small hold, and looked into Rex’s sad eyes, Anakin realized that this nightmare his life had suddenly been plunged into had only just begun. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For kitsunesongs, who asked - I wish you would write a fic where Leia and Luke are both raised on Alderaan!
> 
> As always I hope you enjoy!

Vader pondered Tarkin’s order as he walked to the cell where their Highnesses were being held. That hadn’t been his choice. Tarkin had decided that the two of them would be detained and interrogated together. Vader would have preferred if they had been separated, left to wonder in ignorance about what had happened to the other. Or more damningly what the other had told Vader. But the Moff was convinced that the twins were so close, so protective of each other, that seeing one in pain would break the other sibling.

Vader was betting it would be the boy, Luke. Tarkin thought it would be Leia. Vader kept his snort of derision to himself at that pronouncement. Tarkin’s underestimation of women was showing again. The Princess might look small and fragile, but she had a spine of durasteel that her brother lacked. Vader had watched her enough over the last few years to see when her mask slipped, and her contempt and hatred showed for the Imperials around her. Even her parents were aware who was the stronger of the two siblings. Although Alderaan was a matriarchal society, and Leia was first in line for the throne because of it, she, not Luke, had been chosen to replace their father as Senator.

Her brother, on the other hand, lacked her Highnesses’ depth and her small amount of strength in the Force. Vader had watched him too, perhaps not as closely as Her Highness, for reasons best left alone, but he had paid attention. There was no substance to the boy. He liked pretty clothes and hated upsetting people. He was considered quite the “catch” on the romantic market and seemed to think that the pleasures of the flesh were fine to share with anyone who asked.

These traits had led him into many a situation where he found himself vastly over his head. Vader didn’t like gossip, but even _he_ had overheard the goings on in the Imperial court about the Organa boy. It was backed up by Vader’s own observations of him on the few occasions the two of them were both at one of the Emperor’s ‘parties.’ The boy never left them on his own. Inevitably before the festivities were over, some Royal Minder was dragging him away, just before he really embarrassed himself in public. His Highness always was wearing a confused smile on his face as he was ‘escorted’ out, as though he didn’t understand what he had done wrong. Or perhaps he was wondering on how he had ended up in his current predicament.

That was probably how he had ended up here on the Death Star. He had followed his sister into her foolish crusade on the Tantive IV. It wasn’t bravery. Or, like his sister, a willful streak of disobedience and passionate belief that brought him to this cell. The few times Vader had spoken to him, His Highness had been unremarkable and bland. Although, the boy was one of the few in the Senate who didn’t visibly tighten up in fear around Vader. He had always thought that was because the boy was too vapid to understand the true threat Vader was. He was always unfailingly polite though, unlike his sister. That one threw barbs at people that made even Vader wince, although most of the time the insults went straight over the victim’s head.

And now Vader was supposed to torture one twin in front of the other, instead of being able to handle this his own way. As Tarkin commanded, because, _for now_ , Tarkin’s words were as his Master commanded.

He entered the cell with the torture droid and the two guards coming in behind him. Their Highnesses were sitting next to each other, hands clasped together. Both of them looked up as he entered. The boy was faring better than Vader thought he would. He was pale but looked resolute. Neither sibling let go of the other’s hand. Tarkin had been correct about their closeness, although Vader personally had never seen the two of them together on Coruscant, so he had no real opinion on their relationship. He had heard the rumors and speculation, but he preferred to rely on his own observations of people.

“And now your Royal Highnesses, we will discuss the location of your hidden rebel base.” Both sets of eyes flicked to the droid, and it’s high pitched whining. The door slammed shut behind Vader. Neither twin flinched at the noise. Perhaps Tarkin was right, and there was more to the boy then Vader thought.

He made a gesture, and the droid floated forward towards the Princess, needle front and center. If he had a choice, Vader would use a relaxing agent, and comb through the boy’s mind looking for answers. It was faster and far less messy than this method, but there were witnesses, and there was only so much of Tarkin’s displeasure he could invoke before it became his Master’s displeasure.

Just in case, he reached with the Force, trying to gauge how strong this boy’s will was and-

There was a thick barrier of resistance. Not a wall, nothing as structured as that, whoever put this up had no training, but it was more then Vader was expecting.

Vader blinked and put up a hand to stop the droid, curious now. Had her Highness reached out to protect her twin’s mind? He put just the little bit more pressure on it, then another presence in the Force floated up, adding to that already intense resistance. That wave came from the Princess, so that meant the initial bit of power was from the boy.

Curiouser and curiouser, it appeared he did possess the Force and had more control than his sister at hiding it. Which meant there was more to this fop then first appeared. Someone who had this much reign over his deeper emotions was not the weak-headed fool Vader had taken his Highness for.

Vader looked at her Highness, and her clenched jaw, and thought of that baffled soft face she usually presented. Was the clothes loving hedonist fool the act her brother chose to hide behind? What game had these two been playing and why?

There was a slight shuffling of feet from the guards behind him, and even the prisoners were staring at him. He supposed it did look odd. He had stood here, for several moments, saying nothing. He had even stopped the droid from giving her Highness the pain cocktail in the needle, wanting to take these few seconds to find out what was going on. Novelty was rare for him, and this was certainly worth continuing to investigate.

He focused himself and then did a controlled push into his Highnesses’ mind. The boy gasped out loud, it was painful to have someone enter his mind like this, and swayed slightly on the bench.

“What are you doing to him?” her Highness demanded, coming to her feet, trembling in rage. So she had felt that too, even if she didn’t understand what was going on. For a moment, another face was imposed over hers. Similar, but not an exact match, but it was enough to make his mind catch.

Vader shoved thoughts of that face aside, and turned to answer her question, and was shocked when in that brief moment of distraction, there was a wild strike back. It was scattershot. Not enough focus behind it, but there was more than enough power in it to knock Vader’s grip off the boy’s mind.

Vader didn’t react physically, but inside he was reeling. That was far more power then he was expecting. It was also deliberately done. If it had all been instinct, the lashing out of a Force-sensitive that powerful would have caught the Princess in its wake. Vader flicked his eyes over to her, and tried to banish the feelings that rose in his heart, because again, for just a second she looked like someone long gone.  She was unharmed and had turned, concerned, to her brother.

The boy’s face was sweating, but there was a glint of arrogance to that gaze as he stared up at Vader. Vader found himself frowning. There was something familiar about that expression…

“Luke?” her Highness asked, breaking Vader’s train of thought.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“Lies do not become you, Your Highness,” Vader said at the same time her Highness rolled her eyes and said, “You would say that if you were bleeding out on the floor.”

The boy managed to stand up, and turned to his sister “No really,” he said, then he shook out all his limbs, “I am still capable of dancing, so I’m fine.”

Vader just stared at him, despite the light-hearted words, he could practically taste the fear hanging over the boy’s head. It reminded him of another, who had tried to reassure a frightened little boy, when she was so terrified for herself and her people. How odd to find the physical and emotional ghost of her here in this cell.

The Dark Side came strongly then, as it always did when he let himself get too close to those thoughts. He rode it for all it was worth. Enough of this, he needed no droid to get the answers he needed.

He reached out in the Force and put pressure on her Highnesses’ neck. Not enough to kill her, but it would knock her unconscious in a few minutes.

She let out a gasp, and Luke came forward and caught her before she fell to the floor.

“Leia?” he asked, all arrogance gone, just a frightened boy calling out for reassurance.

She couldn’t answer him of course, she merely clawed at her throat.

The boy’s head turned, and there was anger in them now. Who would have thought such rage lived in one like this?

“Stop it,” he shouted, still holding his sister up, as her face got redder and redder “Let her go!” he snarled, handsome face twisting.

“Of course,” Vader said smoothly “As soon as you tell me where the Rebel Base is.”

He could practically feel her Highness broadcasting a loud “DON’T” at her brother. His Highness turned and looked into his sister’s eyes. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers.

“I won’t let you turn me away from her,” he said, voice thick with tears.

_Obi-Wan was standing before him, and Padme was collapsed at his feet. “YOU TURNED HER AGAINST ME!” Vader heard himself screaming._

Vader allowed the memory to stroke his anger, and bring more of the Force to himself. “Then she will die,” he said satisfactorily.

His Highness said nothing, but her Highness turned from her brother to glare at him. Even when she was hurtling into unconsciousness, her eyes were spitting fire and defiance. Again, for a moment, a ghost was there, and Vader felt the slightest wavering. This pair reminded him so much of her. He had gone into this cell expecting that of the girl, but the boy, the boy was what was throwing him off. It was almost like looking at his wife’s spirit, for all the fact his Highness looked nothing like her. In fact, if Vader was going to say he looked like anyone from Vader’s past, it was…Vader himself.

For a moment, Vader continued pressing on the Princesses’ throat as that odd thought bounced around in his head. Yes, his Highness did bear a resemblance to Vader at that age. But that was all it was, a _resemblance_. It’s not like he was Vader’s double, any more then the Princess was Padme’s.

 _“But they are adopted,_ ” a little voice whispered in the back of his mind.

Yes, they were. Everyone knew that, it wasn’t a secret. And they were the right age…

No, the very thought was ludicrous. He would have _noticed_ this. The two of them had been on and off Coruscant for years. And it’s not like they had ever gone out of their way to avoid him.

 _“You’ve never seen them in the same room together,_ ” that voice persisted.

Vader felt the Force falter under his conflicting thoughts, and the pressure he was exacting on her Highness eased up enough that she was no longer in danger of losing consciousness. She sucked in as much air as she could, and Vader could feel the wave of relief wash over her brother in the Force. The boy’s emotion was like a slap to his mind.

 _“They are strong in the Force,_ ” that damning voice was still nattering on. Time to make it be _quiet_.

“Who is your mother?” he demanded of both of them, fully releasing his grip on her Highness so she could speak. She coughed loudly for several seconds.

His Highness murmured soft words under his breath to her. “That’s it, Leia,” he was saying “Just take a breath.”

“WHO WAS YOUR MOTHER?” Vader roared, losing his patience with them, with himself, with this whole situation.

Both of them flinched at the sudden sound, and Vader could feel the guards behind him come to full attention at his suddenly loud voice. The twins just stared at him in bafflement.

“Queen Breha of Alderaan,” his Highness said finally, in a sarcastic tone that Vader was more accustomed to hearing from his twin.

“No,” Vader growled, hands tightening into fists at his side, “Not her. Your birth mother. Or your birth father. Who are they?”

Her Highnesses’ face closed down instantly, and a haughty look descended over her features “We don’t know their names,” she said in a raspy voice.

That was the truth. They didn’t. But while her Highness was speaking, there was the briefest flash from his Highness at the words ‘birth mother.“ It was gone as quickly as it came, and if Vader hadn’t been looking so intently for it, he would have missed it entirely. It was of a face Vader knew better than his own. It was twisted in pain, and lost in grief, but he would know _Padme’s_ face anywhere. Padme was their mother. And if she was their mother, that made him…

He just stared down at his children. His impossible grown-up children, who were staring back at him like he had lost his mind. Perhaps he had. He had certainly not expected at the start of this day to find that which he had thought he had lost forever. Even more improbably, they were not two feet in front of him. His family was right here, and he could reach out and touch them. They were _real_.

“Sir?” one of the guards asked behind him, voice wavering. Vader wondered, briefly, how long he had been staring at his children. Long enough apparently that one of the guards had finally screwed up the courage to question him.

No matter. He gestured with one hand. Both of them, and the droid, went flying into the walls, a loud snap echoing as their necks broke, and a crack of metal as the droid was flattened.

Both his children flinched, and for a moment Vader was sorry that he needed to do that in front of them. He was going to have a hard enough time convincing them that he wasn’t a threat to them. But he could have no witnesses that could tell anyone, especially his Master, the contents of this conversation.

Cautiously, and wincing internally as he spotted the bruises around Leia’s neck, he lowered himself to the ground, so he was sitting across from them. Luke was openly gaping, his eyes flicking from the dead bodies on the other side of the cell, back to Vader. Leia, on the other hand, had a look of dread on her face, as if she knew, on some level, she was not going to like what Vader had to say.

Vader waited. His children, slowly coming out of their shock at this abrupt change in circumstances, looked at each other. They seemed to be having a very involved discussion with only their facial expressions, and briefly, Vader wondered if they were also communicating crudely with each other in the Force.

He sat there, waiting until they came to a decision. It grated, and he fiercely wanted to reach out and grab both of them, but given his actions of not even ten minutes ago, he knew that would end badly. He did not want the first time he embraced them as one where they were afraid.

Finally, as one, they seemed to reach some decision. They turned their heads to look at Vader. But it was Luke who cleared his throat and asked “Why did you do that?”

Vader hesitated for a moment, wondering where to start with all of this. He had to break this to them gently. Any sudden dramatic announcement of his identity would be met with resistance. And while his blood boiled as he thought of the Organas, and what they had stolen from him, he couldn’t indulge in his rage at this moment. He deliberately shoved all that negative emotion aside. Now was not the time for his anger, it would only frighten his children further. That would come later, and he would use it to bring death to whoever was a threat to his family.

He started speaking softly “Nineteen years ago, my wife gave me the greatest gift I would ever get-” And then he went on, telling them the truth of their existence, explaining the lies they had all been told to keep them apart, and his plans for all of their futures.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For thearbiterthel who asked - Here's a snippet idea. In Queens you mention how Leia sometimes wishes that she was raised with Luke so how about a Leia raised with Luke on Tatooine story.

Leia bit her lip, trying not to cry. Beside her Luke was looking around, desperately trying to find Aunt Beru.

Leia could feel the tears in her eyes, despite the fact that she was six, and not a baby anymore. Crying wouldn’t solve anything, and it was a waste of water in the desert. She angrily wiped them away with her free hand.

Her other hand was holding Luke’s hand tightly. Not that if they weren’t holding hands she wouldn’t be able to find him. She _always_ could find Luke, and he could always find her. They just couldn’t do the same for Aunt Beru.

Leia didn’t mean to get lost. This was their first trip to Anchorhead, and they had promised to stay with either Uncle Owen or Aunt Beru. But Luke had seen the pallies on the old woman’s stand for sale. And they had both stopped to look, wondering if they should ask for them as a treat. Then Luke had looked up, and Aunt Beru was _gone._  

There were so many people here. There were more people here then Leia had ever seen in her life. But there was also no one she recognized. If this was Toche station, she knew who she could approach for help. Here, anyone could be a slaver. Anyone could be working for the Hutts. She didn’t know anybody, and even worse neither she or Luke knew how to find the little station where Uncle Owen had parked the land speeder.

Luke now had a little hitch in his breath. “I don’t see Uncle Owen or Aunt Beru,” he said softly.

Leia nodded her head. “I don’t either,” she said.

Luke’s lip trembled, and tears filled his eyes “What are we going to do?”

Leia thought about it, then said “We go looking for them.”

Luke frowned “Shouldn’t we stay here?” He looked around the crowded street “I don’t want to get more lost,” he said nervously.

Leia tightened her grip on his hand “We are not lost,” she said firmly “We just don’t know where we are.”

Luke frowned ”That’s lost, Leia,”

“It is not,” she said hotly “There is a very big difference!”

“How?” he asked.

Leia frowned, unable to think of the word she wanted. It was hot, she was tired, and Luke was being _dumb_. “It just is!”

Luke looked like he wanted to argue, but then an adult voice asked behind them “Hello there little ones.”

Luke’s eyes widened, and Leia turned around cautiously. There was a man standing behind them.  He was wearing a cloak, which was dumb in this heat, but it made it so Leia couldn’t see his face.

Luke, of course, waved to the man “Hello,” he said.

“Luke,” Leia hissed as quietly as she could “we aren’t supposed to talk to _strangers_.”

“But Aunt Beru says we should be polite,” Luke protested.

“Not to _strangers,_ ” Leia said angrily.

“A sensible precaution Leia,” the voice said gently.

Leia’s eyes narrowed, and Luke instantly went from friendly to suspicious. ”How do you know my name?” she asked the stranger.

He gave a light chuckle, and his hands came up to throw the hood off his face. He was human, with light skin, and red hair that was peppered with grey. “I met you long ago,” then he nodded to Luke “Both of you,”

“I don’t remember you,” Leia hissed, but beside her, Luke relaxed a little.

“No, I don’t suppose you would,” he said, a slight smile on his face. “You were very young.”

Leia’s noise went up into the air “I remember other people I met when I was very young.”

“Do you?” there was something weird about the man’s voice. Like he thought Leia was funny somehow.

Luke picked up on it too, because he said defensively “She does!” he protested “She remembers our mother! Aunt Beru said that was impossible, but Leia _saw_ her.”

The man stilled at that. “Do you now?” he asked in a very controlled voice. It was like the voice Uncle Owen got when Jabba’s men came for their taxes.

“Yes,” Leia said hotly.

The man swallowed, “Well, that certainly is fortunate. Not all of us get to remember our mothers.”

Leia felt bad for him. It must be hard not to remember your own mother. Luke didn’t remember Mother, but that was okay because Leia had _shown_ it to him and now he remembered her too.

“I’m sorry,” she said. And she really was. She tried to make him feel better, because his sadness made her want to cry, and she didn’t like hurting people. He hadn’t done anything to them but talk. “I only remember the little bit,” she offered “So it’s not much. I’d rather have had her.”

“Yes,” he said, “I would have preferred that too.” Leia frowned. She was doing this all wrong, he was only getting sadder.

“But I have Luke! And having a brother makes it so I’m not _as_ sad about it,” she gave the man a big smile. “Do you have a brother?”

There was a flash of _something_ in the air, and Luke’s hand squeezed on hers so tight she thought he would break it. But then that feeling was gone, and the man’s face was blank.

“Yes,” he said softly “I did. He’s gone now.”

Leia was messing this all up. This is why she let Luke handle the feelings thing. He was so much _better_ at it than her. Not that she would ever tell him that.

Luke, sensing her panic, stepped forward a little bit. “I’m sorry you lost him,” he said, “That must have made you very sad.”

“Yes,” he said, then his face did a fast change, and Leia wanted the sad one to come back. This one felt fake. Like that mirage, she had seen once in the desert. Her eyes told her it was real, but that little whisper in the back of her head said “ _No.”_ That as the feeling she was getting from the man now.

“What was his name?” Luke asked.

The man stilled “Why do you want to know?”

Luke gave him a shy smile “So we can pray that his spirit finds its way home.”

The man relaxed at that. Then a sweet smile crossed his face “I don’t think he needs that Luke,” he crouched down and looked at the two of them. “I think his spirit is right here.”

Leia and Luke immediately looked around, wondering where this ghost was. The man let out a laugh, a real one this time. “No, I don’t mean he’s following me around. I mean that his spirit very much lives on in the two of you.”

“How?” Luke asked, looking a little disappointed that they weren’t going to see a ghost.

“You both have very big hearts,” he said “Just like he did,”

Leia frowned. That wasn’t right “But I made you sad,” she said.

The man swallowed and then nodded his head “Yes, you did. But only because you reminded me of him so much, and it made me miss him.” He looked at Leia “But that wasn’t your fault. And you did try to make me feel better.”

Leia chewed her lip. She wasn’t the nice one. Luke was the nice one. But nice wasn’t the same as kind, just like lost wasn’t the same as not knowing where you were. She nodded her head “Okay,” she proclaimed.

The man smiled “Good.”

Leia opened her mouth, intending to ask him more about his brother when Uncle Owen’s angry voice came from behind the man. “What are you doing _Kenobi!?!_ ”

The man stood up very quickly and turned to face her Uncle. Leia whimpered. Uncle Owen looked mad, like really mad. Almost as mad as the time she and Luke had fallen asleep in the tool shed, and he and Aunt Beru couldn’t find them. Leia never understood _why,_ she and Luke hadn’t been hiding on purpose. Her Aunt should have been able to see them when she walked into the shed to see if they were there.

But neither of them had seen her and Luke, and when they had wandered into the kitchen after they had woken up, Aunt Beru had burst into tears, and Uncle Owen had yelled at them for _forever_ about how much they had scared him, and then grounded both of them for a month.

Her Uncle looked that mad again, and Leia knew it was all her and Luke’s fault. They had promised to stay with Aunt Beru.

“It’s not his fault,” Luke said, rushing up to Uncle Owen, Leia on his heels. “We got lost, and he was only _talking_ to us.”

“Talking huh?” Uncle Owen didn’t look any calmer “Is that what you were doing _‘Ben’?”_

Ben, the man’s name was Ben, had that fake look on his face again. He clasped his hands in front of him, and the sleeves were so big, it made them disappear. Leia wondered if she could get a robe that did that. It looked so _cool_. “I was worried when I saw them here alone. So yes, I came by to talk to them, and to keep an eye on them.”

Uncle Owen grabbed Luke with one hand and Leia with the other, shoving them both behind him “Stay away from them,” he snarled “They already lost enough because of your meddling ways.”

“Owen-” Ben started to say.

“I mean it!” Uncle Owen said, cutting him off. “You just stay away from them.”

“Owen, wishing and denial will not make what they _are,_ any different.”

“What they _are,_ are two small children, not weapons in your crusade. What they _are,_ are my stepmother’s grandchildren _,_ and the only legacy she has that will continue on in this galaxy. What they _are,_ is none of _your_ concern _.”_

Leia couldn’t see Ben’s face, because Uncle Owen’s legs were in the way, but she heard the pain in his voice. “I see,” he said. There was the sound of fabric rustling, and Leia caught a glimpse of the top of Ben’s head. Was he _bowing?_ Leia didn’t know anyone did that outside of holo vids.

“Then I shall leave you and your family in peace to enjoy this fine day.”

Uncle Owen was very quiet for a long time. Finally, he let Leia and Luke come out from behind him. He crouched down in front of them.

“What did he talk to you about?”

Luke and Leia looked at each other, and then Luke shrugged “About how much he missed his brother.”

Uncle Owen’s face twisted at that, and he spat out a curse word that would get Leia grounded if she used it. “I want you to stay far away from that man,” he told them sternly.

Luke’s eyes widened “Is he a bad man? Would he have hurt us?” Then he paled “Was he a slaver?”

Uncle Owen opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. He sighed and looked very tired all of a sudden. “No Luke, he wasn’t a slaver. And he’s not a bad man, he’s just…” Uncle Owen rubbed a hand down his face, then sighed.

“He’s not quite right in the head,” he finally said. He looked at the two of them. “Do you know what that means?”

Leia nodded “It means he’s crazy.”

Uncle Owen grimaced “I wouldn’t put it that bluntly, but yes. And while I don’t think _he_ would think he was hurting you, that doesn’t mean you would see it the same way.”

Luke bit his lip, “He didn’t sound crazy,” he finally said, “Just very sad, because he misses his brother.”

“He can be both Luke,” Uncle Owen said. Then he stood back up and reached his hands down. “C’mon. We’ve all had a long day, and I want to go home.”

Leia took her Uncle’s hand, and the three of them went to find Aunt Beru. It was an incident that always stayed in the back of her mind though. That people could hurt you, even though they didn’t think they were.

It especially became relevant, when she and Luke were standing on a balcony, on a planet her six-year-old self could never even dream of, being told by Darth Vader that Ben had lied to them and that he, Vader, was their father.  


End file.
